It is well known in the industry that protecting the propeller of a vessel by a keel reduces the chances of damage to the propeller. It is also well known in the industry that raising the propeller up and in a tunnel reduces the chance for unplanned underwater impact. It is further known in the industry that a protective shroud provides an added level of protection for the propeller. Unfortunately it is also well known within the industry that keels and shrouds tend to have other negative side effects not the least of which are reduced acceleration and reduced steering performance. In addition, shrouds can become a source of weed entanglement.
Examples of protective shrouds can be found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,544,082; 6,475,045; 5,890,937; 4,957,459; 4,826,461; 4,789,302; 4,694,645; 4,680,017; 4,637,801; 3,859,953; 3,035,538; 2,244,217.
What is needed in the art is a shroud/keel combination that provides a level of protection for the propeller without hurting steering performance or acceleration and without entangling weeds.